Published: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 7:31 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, March 8, 2013 at 7:39 a.m.

TAMPA — Fred Karl, the Daytona Beach-born state Supreme Court justice, state legislator and county administrator for Hillsborough County died Thursday in his home on Harbor Island, Tampa. He was 88.

Karl introduced legislation that would lead to the adoption of the Volusia County Charter in 1970, making Volusia the first county to be granted charter government under Florida's 1968 constitution.

He was attorney for Volusia County Schools and the cities of Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach.

"He's basically had every job other than mine in this state," said Gov. Rick Scott of Karl in 2011 when Karl's mother, Mary Brennan Karl, was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame.

But it wasn't for lack of trying, Karl ran for governor in 1964, losing a six-way Democratic primary to Haydon Burns.

"My father lived a long and meaningful life devoted to public service," said his son, Rick Karl, director of Daytona Beach International Airport. "His greatest contribution was his ceaseless pursuit of instilling trust, confidence and integrity into the public institutions he was a part of, and he made a very real difference in shaping the landscape of Florida politics."

"When they made Karl, they threw the mold away," said J. Hyatt Brown, CEO of Brown & Brown Insurance and former speaker of the Florida House. "He had a way of getting people to be less emotional ... and move them toward solutions."

"A true iconic figure," said T. Wayne Bailey, a Stetson University political science professor who worked with Karl during the drafting of Volusia's charter.

Karl was born in Daytona Beach in 1924, son of Fred and Mary Karl. His father was a Michigan businessman who went from part-time to fulltime Florida resident in 1930, and was wiped out in the Great Depression. His mother founded the Mary Karl Vocational School, which would later evolve into Daytona State College.

While a student, Karl delivered The News-Journal, sold soda at the ballpark and was an usher at the Empire Theater. He graduated from Seabreeze High School in 1942, and after attending the University of Florida for a semester, enlisted in the Army as a private.

Karl swiftly rose to the rank of second lieutenant before turning 19 and was a tank platoon leader in the European Theater. He earned a Bronze Star and Silver Star and a Purple Heart after being wounded during the Battle of the Bulge.

After discharge, he married the former Faye Brooker in 1948, earned his law degree at Stetson University in 1949, and started practicing law in Daytona Beach in 1950. And in 1956, Karl was elected to the Florida House of Representatives where he served four terms.

He left the House to run for governor in 1964 but came in last in a six-person Democratic primary.

Karl served as attorney for Ormond Beach, Volusia County Schools, and Daytona Beach before running for the Florida Senate in 1968. Once elected, he introduced legislation that created the Volusia Charter Study Commission. The charter recommended by the commission was approved by voters in 1970.

"You could call him the father of Volusia as we know it today," said Sam Bell, a former commission member and House leader, now a lobbyist in Tallahassee.

"He was a wonderful orator, with this deep sonorous voice," recalled Bell. "A very honest guy always known his forthrightness. That was his hallmark."

Karl was in the Senate from 1968-1972 serving a district that stretched from Volusia to Citrus County.

After leaving the legislature, he moved to Tallahassee and served as the Senate's special master on suspensions, a post where he investigated possible suspension of public official.

He was divorced in 1971, and later that year, married the former Mercedes Proctor.

In 1976, Karl successfully ran for Florida Supreme Court justice, the last justice to chosen by election. But citing financial difficulties, he stepped down from the court in 1978. At the time, justices made $43,200 a year.

Hillsborough County Administrator Norman Hickey, who knew Karl from the days when he was Daytona Beach city manager, recruited Karl to Hillsborough County government in 1988, where he served as county attorney and soon became county administrator.

He resigned in 1992 citing health problems. He had been earlier diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

The county's 28-story administration building – he had negotiated its purchase in the 1990s — was renamed the Fred B. Karl County Center in 2001.

And it is there where a memorial will soon be held. No date has yet been announced.

<p>TAMPA &mdash; Fred Karl, the Daytona Beach-born state Supreme Court justice, state legislator and county administrator for Hillsborough County died Thursday in his home on Harbor Island, Tampa. He was 88. </p><p>Karl introduced legislation that would lead to the adoption of the Volusia County Charter in 1970, making Volusia the first county to be granted charter government under Florida's 1968 constitution. </p><p>He was attorney for Volusia County Schools and the cities of Daytona Beach and Ormond Beach. </p><p>"He's basically had every job other than mine in this state," said Gov. Rick Scott of Karl in 2011 when Karl's mother, Mary Brennan Karl, was inducted into the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. </p><p>But it wasn't for lack of trying, Karl ran for governor in 1964, losing a six-way Democratic primary to Haydon Burns. </p><p>"My father lived a long and meaningful life devoted to public service," said his son, Rick Karl, director of Daytona Beach International Airport. "His greatest contribution was his ceaseless pursuit of instilling trust, confidence and integrity into the public institutions he was a part of, and he made a very real difference in shaping the landscape of Florida politics." </p><p>"When they made Karl, they threw the mold away," said J. Hyatt Brown, CEO of Brown & Brown Insurance and former speaker of the Florida House. "He had a way of getting people to be less emotional ... and move them toward solutions." </p><p>"A true iconic figure," said T. Wayne Bailey, a Stetson University political science professor who worked with Karl during the drafting of Volusia's charter. </p><p>Karl was born in Daytona Beach in 1924, son of Fred and Mary Karl. His father was a Michigan businessman who went from part-time to fulltime Florida resident in 1930, and was wiped out in the Great Depression. His mother founded the Mary Karl Vocational School, which would later evolve into Daytona State College. </p><p>While a student, Karl delivered The News-Journal, sold soda at the ballpark and was an usher at the Empire Theater. He graduated from Seabreeze High School in 1942, and after attending the University of Florida for a semester, enlisted in the Army as a private. </p><p>Karl swiftly rose to the rank of second lieutenant before turning 19 and was a tank platoon leader in the European Theater. He earned a Bronze Star and Silver Star and a Purple Heart after being wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. </p><p>After discharge, he married the former Faye Brooker in 1948, earned his law degree at Stetson University in 1949, and started practicing law in Daytona Beach in 1950. And in 1956, Karl was elected to the Florida House of Representatives where he served four terms. </p><p>He left the House to run for governor in 1964 but came in last in a six-person Democratic primary. </p><p>Karl served as attorney for Ormond Beach, Volusia County Schools, and Daytona Beach before running for the Florida Senate in 1968. Once elected, he introduced legislation that created the Volusia Charter Study Commission. The charter recommended by the commission was approved by voters in 1970. </p><p>"You could call him the father of Volusia as we know it today," said Sam Bell, a former commission member and House leader, now a lobbyist in Tallahassee. </p><p>"He was a wonderful orator, with this deep sonorous voice," recalled Bell. "A very honest guy always known his forthrightness. That was his hallmark." </p><p>Karl was in the Senate from 1968-1972 serving a district that stretched from Volusia to Citrus County. </p><p>After leaving the legislature, he moved to Tallahassee and served as the Senate's special master on suspensions, a post where he investigated possible suspension of public official. </p><p>He was divorced in 1971, and later that year, married the former Mercedes Proctor. </p><p>In 1976, Karl successfully ran for Florida Supreme Court justice, the last justice to chosen by election. But citing financial difficulties, he stepped down from the court in 1978. At the time, justices made $43,200 a year. </p><p>Hillsborough County Administrator Norman Hickey, who knew Karl from the days when he was Daytona Beach city manager, recruited Karl to Hillsborough County government in 1988, where he served as county attorney and soon became county administrator. </p><p>He resigned in 1992 citing health problems. He had been earlier diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. </p><p>The county's 28-story administration building – he had negotiated its purchase in the 1990s &mdash; was renamed the Fred B. Karl County Center in 2001. </p><p>And it is there where a memorial will soon be held. No date has yet been announced. </p><p>Karl is survived by his wife, Mercedes; his sons, Rick, and Jim Karl, Ponte Vedra; his daughters, Cynthia Stamm-Clarke, London; Mary Karl Bruder, Melbourne; two stepdaughters and twelve grandchildren.</p>